Apparatus for actuating conduit-covers and collector-plows of electric railways.



D. D. SAMAIA. APPARATUS FOR ACTUATIN G GONDUIT COVERS AND COLLECTOR FLOWS 0F ELECTRIC RAH-WAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1911.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

C D. '1). SAMAIA. APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING CONDUIT COVERS AND COLLECTOR FLOWS-OP ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1911.

1,087,322. Patented Feb. 17,1914.

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D. 11. .SAMAIA.

COVERS AND COLLECTOR PLOWS APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1911.

APPARATUS FOR AOTUATIN G GONDUIT 01? ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

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Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT F Q DINODAVIDE SAMAIA, OF MILAN, ITALY.

APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING CONDUIT-COVERS AND COLLECTOR-FLOWS OF ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 191%.

Application filed September 30, 1911. Serial No. 652,204..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DINO DAVIDE SAMAIA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Actuating Conduit-Covers and Collector-Plows of Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object means enabling the driver of a team to actuate the covers of the conduit holes and to insert and remove the plow of the train from the platform of his vehicle the device being of the type described in my Patent No. 102839 1, dated the 1th June, 1912.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows the portion of the device intended for controlling the toggle member for operating the conduit covers. Fig. 2 shows the portion of the said device intended for controlling the plow. Fig. 3 represents one of the controlling cocks arranged on the vehicle. Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the dis- I tributing valve. Fig. is a view showing the distributing plate of the valve. Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line CD,

Fi 1 and Fi 7 shows a similar view to Fig. 6 but shows the distributing plate in position. Figs. 8 and 9 show respectively an elevation and a sectional view of the safety device I employ to prevent the accidental descent of the plow.

The device comprises broadly two cylinders 4 and 5, the cylinder 1 communicating directly with the control cock while the cylinder 5 is acted upon by a three-way distributing slide-valve 6 which is operated by the cylinder 4. A safety device 7 hereinafter described is fitted to the cylinder 5.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing a compressed air supply pipe 8 proceeds from the control cock on the platform and ends at the cylinder 4. The piston rod 9 of this cylinder 4.- is pivoted to a lever 10 which in turn is pivoted at 11 and attached at the other end to an arm 12 which is connected to a toggle member 12 composed of a number of pivotal levers adapted to operate on the principle of the lazy tongs. Upon the drum 13 which contains a counter spring 1 1 a link chain 15 is wound and serves to raise the scissors and their controlling mechamsm. The lever16 having a projecting surface 16 is pivoted to the lever 10 and serves to engage the tappets 17 on the wheel 17 for the purpose of controlling the distributing valve 6. As shown in Fig. 2 this valve 6 is in direct communication with the main compressed air supply pipe 18 and is also in communication through the pipe 19 with the cylinder 5. The rod 20 of the piston on the said cylinder is connected with a chest 21 to which a rod 22 connected with a chain 23 is secured. This chain is wound upon a pulley 24: keyed on the shaft 25 of the pulleys 26, 27 upon which the plow supporting chains are wound, the said chains being guided by two guide pulleys 28 and 29. Upon the shaft 25 there is also mounted a block 30 serving to ring 'a bell 31 at the proper moment. In the bottom of the valve are provided three holes 32, 33, 34c the hole 32 communicating with the main pipe 18, the hole 33 with the supply pipe 19, and the hole 34 with the escapement. The distributing plate 35 is provided with two opposite curved slots 36, 37 and the said plate is connected with the bottom of the valve in such a way as to rotate with the shaft 38, when this shaft is caused to turn by the tappet wheel 17 Owing to the special arrangement of the curved slots 36, 37 with which the distributing plate 35 is provided, it follows that every time the wheel 17 is turned a quarter, a communication is alternatively established either between the holes 33 and 32 or between the holes 33 and 3 1. In the first case communication is established between the main pipe 18 and the supply pipe 19 leading to the cylinder 5; while in the second case a communication is established between said pipe 19 and the escapement.

The operation is as follows: Assuming stopped the vehicle over the conduit hole the driverafterihaving fitted the handle that he uses for the WVestinghouse brake to the cock shown in Fig. 3 displaces thishandle and thus establishes communication between the main pipe 18 and the supply pipe 8. The compressed air being then admitted to the cylinder 4 through the pipe 8 depresses the piston the rod 9 of which acts upon the lever 10 in such a manner as to bring this lever and the'toggle member 12 into the position shown in broken lines in which position the extremities of the toggle memher will have separated the covers of the hole. Simultaneously with the depression of the lever 10 the projecting surface 16 of the lever 16 engages one of the tappets 17 of the wheel 17 thus moving the latter a quarter of a revolution. The holes 33, 34: of the distributing valve 6 will come into correspondence with one another and then cut off communication between the main pipe 18 and the supply pipe 19, the latter being put in communication with the escapement. As the pressure of the compressed air (by means of which the plow is normally held in its raised position) then ceases in the cylinder 5 it follows that the plow will descend under the influence of gravity in un winding the chains from the pulleys 26 and 27 while the chain 23 will become wound upon the pulley 24; drawing upward the rod 22 and consequently the chest 21 and the piston as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. The block 30 which participates in the movement of the shaft 25 causes the bell 31 to emit a warning signal immediately the plow has completely entered the conduit. The driver then displaces the handle in the opposite direction and communication between the main pipe 18 and the supply pipe 8 being then interrupted and the pipe 18 brought in communication with the escapement it follows that the pressure ceases in the cylinder 4: and the spring 14 is able to exert its counter action in raising the toggle member 12 with its operating mechanism to its normal position. If on the other hand it is desired to pass from the underground line to the overhead line the driver has only to displace the handle which causes the descent of the toggle member for separating the doors of the hole as described above. Simultaneously the lever 16 will have caused the wheel 1'? to rotate to the extent of one tappet in such a manner that the holes 32, 33 of the distributing valve 6 will come in correspondence so as to reestablish communication between the main pipe 18 and the pipe 19. The compressed air thus again passes into the cylinder 5 where it forces back the piston, the rod 20 of which presses the chest 21 downward. Traction thus being exerted upon the rod 22 the chain 23 unwinds from the pulley 24; while the plow supporting chains become wound upon the pulleys 26 and 27. The plow is thus raised. At this moment the block 30 will produce a warning signal on the bell 31. The plow is normally held in its raised position by the pressure which exists in the cylinder 5. In order to prevent the plow from descending if for any reason the said pressure should fail safety device 7, represented in the Figs. 8 and 9, is provided. The device comprises a block 39 provided with an opening 40 having a larger and a smaller segment as shown. Through the said opening passes the rod 22, which is, as before specified, connected with the chain 28. The upper portion of the said rod 22 is smaller than the lower portion, this latter being able to pass only through the larger segment of the opening 40. It follows that the rod 22 can slide vertically to the full extent only when it is in correspondence with the larger segment of the opening 40. In the chamber 42 (which communicates directly with the compressed air supply) is disposed a piston 43, whose rod tl holds normally pressed from left to right (by overcoming the action of a spring 1 i) the block 39, so as to present to the rod 22 the larger segment of the opening ll), the rod 22 being free to move vertically for all its length. But as soon as the pressure ceases, the piston rod 43 exerts no longer its action against the block 39, which isunder the action of the spring 44: displaced from right to left, so that the rod 22 comes into correspondence with the smaller segment of the opening 40. Of course the rod 22 is locked and its action to cause the descent of the plow is prevented. Disengagement may be effected either by reestablishing the pressure or by hand, by means of a lever 45 which is connected with the block 39. Similarly by winding cables in the second groove in the pulleys 26 and 27 these pulleys might be operated by hand.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. Apparatus for actuating the movable covers of electric railway conduits and for raising and lowering the plow of the vehicle carrying same, comprising a cylinder, controllable means for supplying a compressed fluid thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a member adapted to operate the movable conduit covers, a connection from said piston to said member, a second cylinder controlling the position of the plow, and a distributing valve controlling the admission of compressed fluid to said last-mentioned cylinder.

2. Apparatus for actuating the movable covers of electric railway conduits and for raising and lowering the plow of the vehicle carrying same, comprising in combination a cylinder, controllable means for supplying compressed fluid thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a toggle member adapted to open the movable conduit covers, connections from said piston to said toggle memher and adapted to operate same, a second cylinder, a connection from said last mentioned cylinder to the plow, and means for supplying compressed fluid to said last mentioned cylinder to maintain the said plow in its raised position.

8. Apparatus for actuating the movable covers of electric railway conduits and for raising and lowering the plow of the vehicle carrying same, comprising in combination a cylinder, controllable means for supplying compressed fiuid thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a toggle member adapted to open the movable conduit covers, connections from said piston to said toggle member and adapted to operate same, a second cylinder, a connection from said last mentioned cylinder to the plow, means for supplying compressed fiuid to said last-mentioned cylinder to maintain pressure therein, and means for placing said last-mentioned cylinder in communication with the atmosphere to allow said plow to move to its lowered position.

4. Apparatus 'for actuating the movable covers of electric railway conduits and for raising and lowering the plow of the vehi ole carrying same, comprising in combination a cyhnder, controllable means for supplying compressed fluid thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a toggle member adapted to open the movable conduit covers, connections from said piston to said toggle member and'adapted to operate same, a second cylinder, a piston in said last-mentioned cylinder, a flexible connection from said piston to said plow, means for supplying compressed fiuid to said last mentioned cylinder to maintain said plow in its raised position, means for reducing the pressure within said cylinder to allow said plow to move to its lower position, and a device for looking said plow against accidental movement to such lowered position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DINO DAVIDE SAMAIA. \Vitnesses:

ALBERT PERI, GUISPPI GRIPPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

